Ten Years
by wandering on the road of life
Summary: It may have been a mere slap on the wrist for long lived nobles, but what no one else knows is that he spent every moment of those years in the dark living through nightmares yet to pass. A Rael time travel fic. Beginning as far back as Season 3 and the Lukedonia arc. Spoilers up to #395. *Edited recently*
1. ARC 1: 1 - His Ten Years

**ARC 1: BACK AGAIN, LUKEDONIA**

 **1: His Ten Years**

 **Warnings:** Heavily Rael centric. Strays from canon drastically. OCs will make major appearances later. No real pairings, though canon crushes and romances are retained. Updates whenever. Will be hella long. Spelling of names is a mix of my preferences and what's official on the wiki. Ex. Rajak = Lazark but Gechutel = Gejutel. There'll be some language and violence later.

I couldn't sleep, and I want to read this more than anyone else does. There's only two other Noblesse time travel fics I know of, and barely any Rael centric fics. First chapter is slow, and the first arc will deviate very little from canon. I think. Please tell me your thoughts, because I don't even have a conclusion in mind yet. There's a lot to be done. I'll randomly edit the chapters as events change while I write, but I'll make a note if I do anything major.

*EDIT: Still haven't figured out Chp. 4, but I am editing the first three chapters to change some things and just make the writing better. This chapter has the heaviest edits of the three thus far!

"Talking"

' _Thoughts_ '

 _Sound effects/memories_

 _(memory/thought fragments)_

* * *

Memories trickled in as they pleased: confusing glimpses from the life changing to the mundane, spread out with little rhyme or reason, all at once and sometimes only a bit at a time. He spent the first year quiet, then the next six screaming.

In the dark, there hadn't been much else to do apart from stew in the mess. Recall things down to the last detail; let the memories over take his reality as they came. Scream in pain, terror, and confusion. Scream and scream for any number of reasons because sometimes it felt real and other times he was simply dreaming. He was on the battlefield with blood on his hands, face, soul, and then he sat alone in the dark not bleeding, not mourning, not fighting. He was remembering forty of the most crazy, conspiracy filled, desperate years of his life which hadn't happened yet. Four fleeting decades, but oh how fast things had went after the Noblesse had awoken once more.

Honestly, he was surprised he hadn't brought more people running with his hysterics, but more often than not he was yelling with anger ( _hunted like animals; family - clan - precious being picked off, lost, abandoned)._ Considering his original reason for imprisonment, Rael thought himself lucky that Lazark had not further punished him for such disrespect. They all believed young and spoiled Rael was throwing a tantrum over - ( _his princess, gentle smile frozen, such blank empty eyes- he couldn't stop screaming at that)_ Seira for years and years. A blink in the lifespan of a noble, but a long blink nonetheless. Ultimately for the better. They'd surely have thought him mad if they knew the truth; he certainly thought himself so.

Nobles lived long lives, but they lived them assuredly in the past. The future bore little meaning when the present stretched so infinitely. There were no seers amongst "vampires".

* * *

 _He wished he weren't so empty sometimes. The only things left were dark and malicious; the feelings of a devil rather than anything remotely human. Wasn't that ironic? At one point he'd detested humans - seen them as little more than ants to be crushed - now here he was, wishing he were more like one._

* * *

They could hear him raging from outside.

Gejutel had come to collect Lazark on a personal summon from the Lord. The younger clan leader had been in the Kertia gardens, and now the two strolled through the Kertia mansion to cut through to the front door.

As they turned the corner, the great racket arose again: furious screaming which emanated from a rather ominous steel door. Other similar doors spread out along this hall, but only this door seemed to house anyone. It sounded like someone cursing the world. Or someone losing their mind.

Gejutel turned to stare at the chamber - as if answers would come forth from the metal. The raging was violent, incoherent screaming peppered with expletives now and then. There could really be only one person in there.

"Lazark, it's been four years of this?"

The other shook his head. "Three."

They listened for a moment longer: Rael's angry shouts reverberated from inside the chamber, neverending, utterly shameful, before Lazark made to continue down the hall. Mildly alarmed, Gejutel lingered then sent one final, stern glance at the steel door before following.

"You allow him such deplorability," Gejutel stated after a time. "Perhaps it would be best to force his silence?"

Lazark merely shook his head though. "I have tried several times. Rael has committed his sins and he is more stubborn than anticipated. There is little to be done than allow him to follow through with his punishment. We'd do him a disservice to end it early."

* * *

As he'd told Gejutel, Lazark had checked on Rael - several times - from the first night he'd begun to rage three years ago.

Flown into the chamber, prepared for whatever enemy there was, but not for the sight of his brother tearing at his hair. Rael was completely lost, all shouts and screams, and the single detail Lazark could glean was that it involved Seira. For Rael, who truly did care for Seira, to draw such ire from one incident showed Lazark most clearly how much of a child he still was.

After calming Rael, Lazark had stated that he would not do this again. This was to be a lesson after all. Time for reflection and repentance. He'd locked the chamber, but had been forced back in several nights later, when Rael's raging shrieks pierced the air once more. It'd been a shock to see his brother disobey so blatantly. Rael had always been immature, but he had never been insubordinate. Lazark was disappointed, but mostly he was worried.

"Why does fury consume you so completely?"

His younger brother had stared back with eyes so hard and unseeing that Lazark was unsure who he thought he was looking at. "Because...it was injustice."

They danced like so, Lazark questioning with increasing concern, and Rael deflecting with vague and petulant answers. He tried thrice more before Rael told him to either release him and leave him be. With great reluctance, he had locked the door one final time and left it locked since. With every year that passed, his disappointment grew. Rael's frustration never cooled, and Lazark could only wonder if ten years solitude was enough punishment for a noble who would not grow up.

* * *

The majority of his memories were battle oriented: fights against the Union, fights against werewolves, fights against anyone really. That didn't mean every memory he received was important. At least, Rael could not discern the importance of certain memories he saw.

During his ten year confinement he'd fixated on those unimportant memories in particular. There had been one Tuesday, during a lull between battles, in which he'd had afternoon tea. He could recall every tiny detail from the smoke curling out of the ochre liquid to the faint flowery aroma wafting about; even the cup with a chip in its edge and worn sunflowers along its sides. He'd been all alone, but it was peaceful as he sat and looked out the window. That feeling of peace - true peace without the metallic edge of tension - had been rare. Of all the stupid inane memories he'd received, the Tuesday tea had to be one of the silliest, just one rank above the memory of mopping Frankenstein's kitchen.

Thinking on them, Rael wasn't sure if mundane memories like these were what kept him sane between stretches of battle and death or if they were flags that his sanity was long gone. They meant nothing in the grand plot of the future, but like a sentimental fool, he could feel their significance to himself and held onto them with desperation regardless. Quiet little anchors in the sea of confusing flashes.

* * *

 _'_ _Grey hair matted with blood. Those magnificent silver strands torn out and littering the earth because that human toy had always been stubborn. If he'd only left when Rael demanded.'_

* * *

 _Four figures on the horizon. He'd like to tear two of them in half, but then he'd run into trouble with the other two. Only Regis' hand kept him from being rash._

 _A reminder._

* * *

 _Frankenstein bled and nothing was the same. The infallible. The mighty. The devil laid slain, and it was all the more wrong because_ he _was not there; gone when_ he _should have most been there._

* * *

 _The human scum had lost his mind. With the other two gone, the only one with even a hint of common sense was lost to himself._

* * *

"He's been quiet lately."

Seven years into his sentence, and the Kertia clan leader's younger brother was increasingly silent.

Worried for Rael despite the reception he'd received, Lazark had stationed guards around the containment chamber. They'd been on rotation for years, but there'd been no change until recently.

The other guard nodded, but otherwise said nothing in reply. His companion kept talking. "Do you wonder what he does in there? He screamed for years, and now it's suddenly quiet."

He received no reply.

* * *

Forty years...technically fifty years of received memories if one were to include his time in confinement. Rael disliked including them.

He'd only ever remembered one moment from his first ten year confinement, and it hardly left an impression. Dark, absolute dark. He sat in the corner, the solid firmness of two walls pressing at his back, and stared off into the abyss. It wouldn't have made a difference if he'd kept his eyes closed. No sound. No movement. Merely absolute silence. He'd been inside for five years in this way.

Funny how his current go-around was more lively than the first despite how badly he sometimes wished to die.

* * *

The first time he left the chamber in ten years, and Rael very nearly turned right back in. The sunlight was too strong, the air too fresh, and the first glimpse of his brother since he'd gotten these new (old) memories was a punch to the gut. Dazed and slightly unhinged, Rael was left with a great urge to curl up and cry, but no he couldn't because he last saw Lazark a measly ten ( _forty into eternity)_ years ago. Ten years was a blink (forty into eternity was not). He'd be seen as weak for sure, bursting into tears at the sight of his big brother like a child, or perhaps they'd be alarmed instead. Rael had never been a crier.

"Rael Kertia," stated his brother, all solemn business. "Your sentence has been served. I hope you've reflected upon your actions sufficiently."

 _Blood everywhere. Comrades dead, not enough enemy bodies to show for their efforts. If only he was stronger._

"Of course," Rael murmured. He couldn't even find the energy to stand straight. The curt response would seem obstinate to the two nobles flanking his brother, but it mattered not. He had only one individual to impress and he knew he hadn't managed to cover the strain in his reply. Lazark would hear it, his remorse.

* * *

He'd been free for less than a day when Lazark was summoned to council along with the other clan leaders.

Events were already in motion; he hadn't even had a day to rest. He'd anticipated as such having spent the last three years of his sentence plotting for the future. Planning, thinking, strategizing. For all his five hundred some years, he'd entered that chamber a child and emerged something not quite. He could rest when things were...over? Safe? Neither felt right on his tongue, but nevertheless, now was the time to move.

"Rael," Lazark called. He waited a half beat before turning and leaving the front door. Rael trailed after, silent as a shadow.

The younger Kertia had wanted to instigate events like in his memories: stroll by the Lord's compound casually after Lazark had left, appear and ask to fetch Seira. However, something in the way he'd followed after Lazark like a lost duckling, or maybe the way he'd stared off at the walls for stretches in the hours after being freed, must have made his brother worry. This time his brother was asking that he come along from the start.

It was the first marked change from his memories, and it only cemented Rael's resolve. Things could not be the same as the first time. ' _For that happy life there.'_

The journey to the Lord's compound was quick. It was late evening and the sun was already descending in the sky. Long shadows stretched everywhere. Both back at the Kertia House and here at the Compound, Rael could feel it from the guards, nobles, passersby - the silent evaluation in their glances and whispers. Judgement. He hadn't exactly been discreet when he went on his rampage, and word of his punishment had to be just as loud to show that the Kertia did not tolerate his behaviour. Not the for the first time, Rael felt admiration in the kind of leader Lazark had become. Had it been himself, he could not have been so firm to his brother.

"Behave yourself," Lazark cautioned before slipping inside the Lord's chamber.

Rael gave him a nod then strolled to an archway to look out at the forests.

Bright, eye-searing crimson. The setting sun painted the world on fire.

* * *

Lazark emerged from the Lord's chamber sometime during the night. Moonbeams, white and gentle, streamed into the passageway from the arches, lighting everything in a mystic way. Rael had long stopped staring outside. He emerged from the dark and fell into step behind Lazark. They seemed to glide down the hall; two tall silent spectres.

"Hey," Rael greeted gently. "How was the meeting?"

Ever conscientious, Lazark made no mention of the going ons of the family council. Rael hadn't thought he would, but what else was there to talk about?

"Are you headed home?"

"No," Lazark replied. "I'm to carry out the Lord's orders."

 _Stump, stump, stump_.

Their footsteps could have echoed for eternity.

"In person? But you're a family leader." A script. The same conversation, but tone and context completely different.

"I am to bring Seira back," Lazark continued.

It didn't need to, but his heart beat loudly in his chest. The tolling of the bell. Time to put everything in motion. There was no running away after this. Rael's next words would define him until the end of his mission.

"Please, brother. Let me collect Seira."

Strange. It was strange. Rael himself was over five hundred years of age (six hundred with the added memories), and the forty years he hadn't seen Lazark should have felt like a blink. Looking upon his brother's back, it somehow felt like they'd been separated for centuries. Lazark didn't correct him for calling him "brother" this time.

He'd had all of his reasoning lined up, ready to convince Lazark to let him go, but his brother simply agreed after a moment's hesitation. Was it something in his tone? Was it the way he hadn't quite hid how lost he felt stranded amongst ghosts and nightmares?

Like the first time, his brother kept walking off down the corridor, an unspoken "go" reverberating in his footsteps.


	2. ARC 1: 2 - A Party of One

**ARC 1: BACK AGAIN, LUKEDONIA**

 **2: A Party of One**

 **Warnings:** Some graphic description. Some language. Extremely self-gratuitous writing.

Shout out to Aethehild and Delighted Laughter for reviewing! Your comments kept me going at this chapter. Thanks to everyone who followed the story/added it to their favourites.

Aethehild: I'm still figuring out Rael as I go, so his views and character are a toss up.

Delighted Laughter: Thank you! Rael's a favourite of mine (could you tell?), and I'm happy he's getting more attention. I'm curious to see how he changes things too.

I was actually regretting posting the first chapter, since I was half-delirious from insomnia and finished it in a rush. Some people seem interested though, so that keeps me going. The amount of writing I've accumulated for this is astounding to me since I'm notorious for not finishing things let alone starting them. I've only read the webtoon once and haven't had time to read it through again. Written with help from the wiki and my terrible memory. We'll be twisting canon quite a bit this chapter. Next chapter will take longer because I have no idea what to do at Lukedonia.

"Talking"

' _Thoughts_ '

 _Sound effects/memories_

( _memory/thought fragments)_

* * *

The Seoul skyline stretched out beneath him, just as sprawling as it was forty some years later.

Rael watched it all from his perch on one of the numerous high rises. The metropolis had definitely changed within forty years, but the feel of it had not. It still rang with activity and life - the everyday bustle of humans rushing to and fro.

Humans continued to be as fascinating as they were the first time he'd stood up here and looked. ( _How can they advance so fast? Don't they get tired rushing?)_ His sentiments from the first time he'd stood here had changed completely however. Looking upon them this way, he could see something more than he had the first time. ' _Their lives are so fleeting. Sir Raizel wanted to protect that.'_

* * *

He wondered what it said about him that Seira had been the first memory he'd received. Alone he'd sat, glum in the dark for little more than a year. Like how one falls into sleep, he couldn't pinpoint the moment between being in his cold cell to standing on an unfamiliar battlefield.

Acrid smells: blood, burnt flesh, smoke, and _death_ assaulted him. He'd been frightened of course, but curious. A dream? A vision? Had he lost his mind and was hallucinating? Rael wanted to look around, but he had no control of his body. It sprinted off into the distance, speeding by fire and corpses, and he wondered ( _where?_ ) when he suddenly spotted her lying on tousled earth.

 _Seira_.

Uniform torn, beautiful silver hair dyed red with her blood. A chunk of her torso ( _dear Lord, the left_ ) was missing; organs and bone spilling out to stain the dirt beneath her.

[He screamed.]

"Seira!"

[Screamed with all his fury.]

She _smiled_ at him. Crimson dyed her lips as she vanished little by little. (A pure noble leaves no corpse.)

 _"_ _I did it."_

(She had. She'd fulfilled that promise.)

[And he screamed.]

* * *

On a roof several blocks from Ye Ran, Rael watched and pondered. The sky was a solid blue as a warm wind swept through the air; it was the middle of the day. He could see classes in session through the windows, and two more doing physical exercises outside. Mr. Janitor was sweeping the front courtyard.

The first time he'd come to collect Seira, he'd been an absolute little shit about it. Even with Lazark's warnings ( _Don't get into any trouble. If you cause any more commotion, you won't get away with it.)_ he'd caused quite the commotion at school.

Lord, he'd been naive then.

It was utterly mortifying to remember his conduct at a place so sacred to the Noblesse. No regard for the humans, stabbed M-21, antagonized Regis, then thrown himself like a starving dog at Seira. No wonder she'd refused him.

With everyone still in school, Rael really had nothing to do. He couldn't make his move until they returned to the house, and then he'd have to wait and see if the children decided to come along. If they did come along, he'd have to wait until they left, likely with Seira and Regis as escorts, and then wait until the two came back. It was a lengthy potential wait. He was loathe to just sit until night. What could he do in the span of a few hours? He should have timed his arrival better.

So many people to deal with and so little time. Sir Raizel and Frankenstein's group attracted trouble like magnets; no wonder Frankenstein had been tearing at his hair. Seoul was relatively quiet at this point in time, but he'd have to set certain things up soon because he wouldn't be able to interfere while he was on his trip in the human world. He couldn't avoid that either; he definitely needed to have that journey again. Unbidden, an idea came to him. There was one place close enough to take a look at...

"Let's pay that person a visit."

His grin was undoubtedly malicious.

* * *

Daegu. 237.6 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Fourth largest city in South Korea and third largest metropolitan area. It took Rael a little over an hour and a half to run there on foot, even without rest. He touched down on a random skyscraper and peered out in interest.

In some ways, it was very much like Seoul. Enormous. Crowded. A mix of old and new that spoke of the city's growth throughout history. However something about the city itself felt different. Perhaps the people?

Shielding his eyes with a hand, he peered up at the sky. It was mid-afternoon now. A pleasant enough day to be doing what he was doing. He had plenty of time to search for his destination.

* * *

Some time in the future, Rael had been cleaning in the kitchen and realized that he actually kind of cared for the modified human trio. M-21, Takeo, and Tao. He'd jerked back in surprise and given himself a spectacular knock to the head with help from Frankenstein's cupboards. Thank the Lord no one was home to see his embarrassment.

Thunderstruck by the suddenness, he spent three days after that deliberating on the thought. Him. Rael. Leader of Kertia. Caring for smelly human toys.

Except he hadn't thought of them that way for some time now, hadn't he?

 _"_ _It's difficult to put in words," M-21 had told him one night. "More of an instinct than a thought. Like a feeling."_

 _"_ _You're making no sense."_

 _The grey haired man gave an almost smirk. He'd been infuriated by it, but in hindsight the expression was fond._

 _"_ _Pack. As Tao likes to call it for me. You'd know it as 'clan'."_

 _Rael scoffed and turned away. "You're speaking nonsense."_

 _(But he'd been embarrassed because he did know it. It wasn't 'clan'. It was 'brother'.)_

* * *

Rael strolled through the labs, hands making swift work of the numerous control panels and equipment. It had taken him a little less than an hour to scour Daegu and find this secret facility. Sleek automatic glass doors had greeted Rael at the building's entrance. Hands in his pockets, he'd walked in calm as could be. Humans filled the first floor, typing at desks, running with paperwork, chatting, swarming at all locations. None of them noticed him, not even when he made his way to an important looking elevator situated behind the reception desk (a very clear employees only zone).

' _Nothing to see. Turn away.'_

Rael's aptitude to influence human minds was one skill he could claim more ability in than Lazark. He hardly ever needed it (his typical opponents were too mentally reinforced), but it hadn't failed him yet when he applied it to humans. It didn't fail him this time either.

 _'_ _Keep the alarms off, if you please._ '

'Nothing of interest walking down the hall.'

Fifteen minutes later, he was halfway through destroying basement lab two. It was hilarious for Rael. No one stronger than M-21 (as he was presently) had been stationed at the lab yet. A teeny mental push, and everyone avoided the areas he was wreaking havoc in. Monitors were torn straight from the walls, computer hard drives smashed beyond repair, and a great number of plugs were sliced. There was something he found especially satisfying in breaking the Union's play things. Everything lay in shambles and the damn fire alarm hadn't even sounded. Goodness, it had been a great idea to visit this sorry excuse for a lab!

"Oops," he said as he knocked over a steel-reinforced lab table. It was bolted to the floor, but a noble like himself obviously had no trouble up-ending it. Beakers, chemicals, test samples, and machinery crashed onto tile, mixing together dangerously. No matter. He didn't particularly care for the health of anyone working in a secret lab of Crombell's.

On the surface, the building disguised itself as a small international trading corporation with stable dealings. To be fair, the upper levels were a real business. Rael doubted Crombell would have bothered to establish legitimate trades (he was probably trading in the underground for new specimens and covering it up as legal), but no one would notice lest they were looking specifically for discrepancies.

The basements though…

"My bad," Rael practically giggled as he jammed his arm through several tanks. He supposed there was no point trying to save any of the strange creatures inside. This lab, after all, had been hastily set up to cover the truth of Mark masquerading as M-24. None of the experiments were particularly high order, and anything here would be an invasive anomaly in the South Korean landscape if released. Better to let them die gently in the tanks.

"Where is he?"

The Kertia had gotten through just over six floors (two basements and levels one through four) before he finally found his query. Center of the fifth floor, which was an incredibly strange place to have a high level specimen. Crombell hadn't tried very hard when he set up this place, but until now, all experiments had been kept in the basement floors in some semblance of being an actual secret lab.

It was Mark.

He floated in his tank (located behind three convoluted hallways and four steel doors), completely dead to the world. Mark didn't look anything like M-24 yet, but Rael could already see a few physical aspects starting to form as the assassin absorbed the genetic material. Now that he knew his query was here, Rael released his mind control on the building. Things would wrap up soon.

In all honesty, the whole trip had been a complete gamble. The resolution of that incident with Jake, Marie, and the death of M-24 hadn't been so long ago. Rael had very little knowledge of Crombell's movements, and much of what he'd learned in the future had been second hand. Anecdotes from the trio and Frankenstein, as well as some extrapolation based on what he'd gleaned of Crombell's modus operandi. He might have arrived to no lab or a lab without Mark in it yet.

He'd taken a small risk coming here so early, but he would take no risks with this.

Grandia had barely formed before it was thrust through half a foot of plexiglass into Mark's head. The liquid bath Mark had been in gushed out in a green torrent through the new hole, soaking Rael as it pooled onto the floor and making his lips curl in distaste. With a wrench, the blond ripped Grandia back out, dragging Mark's corpse along. The smelly hunk of flesh collapsed face first to the floor, spraying blood as it went down and dyeing the waters red.

"Cheh," Rael scoffed. He stabbed Grandia through Mark's back, piercing where the heart would be, then held both his blades up, disgusted by the gore. "You've dirtied my weapons, putrid pest."

Then he released his soul weapon.

With Mark out of commission, Rael's mission was done. The excursion had been far more productive than he'd hoped. Thinking back to his mental timeline, a good chunk of events would be moved around. It made things harder to keep track of, but with how swiftly things had gone south, Rael couldn't afford to keep things the same either.

For a good fifteen minutes now, the alarm had been sounding. Without his control, the people in the building would have immediately noticed his destruction. Though annoyed, Rael was hardly concerned. There was no one at this facility that worried him. Only Mark and he'd been eliminated.

Now to leave a little parting gift for Crombell. ' _I can't have him thinking this was Frankenstein's work and meddling into their lives even further._ ' He deliberated for a moment before deciding to just be flashy. The humans outside must also have already noticed something off within the building with how loud the alarms were going. Even better if the KSA came in and discovered the hidden labs.

Again he jabbed a hand through Mark's head and through where his heart would be for safety's sake, before stepping back. His shadows pooled together, concentrating into a dark sphere, compressing smaller and smaller until it began to vibrate with energy. A tad crude, but it'd do. He let his aura collect some more before letting it loose.

From outside, it looked like a bomb had gone off on the fifth floor. The windows exploded outwards, raining dust and glass debris onto the streets and passersby below. Heavy black smoke streamed from the now gaping spaces and orange flames could be seen dancing inside.

Rael had ducked out just before, and was already three buildings away.

' _There should be more than enough aura left to draw his attention._ '

* * *

Frenzied footsteps could be heard thumping closer before the wood door was thrown open and a disheveled agent stood panting in the doorway.

"Director!" He yelled, out of breath.

Yeonsu Nah and Sangeen Ahn both glanced over. They were in a briefing with Director Lim, and were just wrapping things up.

The agent suddenly seemed to realize he'd intruded, and straightened sheepishly. "I - ah - apologize."

Director Lim waved away his embarrassment. "It's fine, Agent Nam. Report."

"We've just received word of a suspicious explosion in Daegu."

The Director's face pinched.

"Sagong Trading. Witnesses outside say the building's fifth floor blew up shortly before 1600 hours." A tense pause settled in the room at that. Sangeen and Yeonsu traded thoughtful glances as Agent Nam shuffled through some of the papers in his hands before continuing his report. "Several minor casualties thus far. Our Daegu branch has people entering the building now. We'll know if there are more severe casualties soon."

"Terrorist related?" Yeonsu suggested.

Sangeen countered, "Too early to tell." His eyes narrowed as he thought. To the agent he asked, "Sagong Trading you said?"

Agent Nam nodded. "New and small."

"Then why would they be targeted?"

"Bad luck?" Yeonsu offered. "Or perhaps they have shadier dealings beneath the surface."

Director Lim shook his head, cutting off the conversation there. "No. There's no point speculating. We should wait for Daegu Branch to pass on more details. Nam, report back any new information to me. Yeonsu. Sangeen. You two should get going."

"Yes, Director." The three chimed.

* * *

Rael returned to Seoul just as the streetlamps were being lit. He could have arrived back faster (breaking Crombell's shit lab did not require much time nor effort), but what was the point? They'd all be home for sure later in the evening, so he dawdled and took several detours on the way back.

Another leap brought him down in front of a familiar gate. Frankenstein's house stood just as pristine as it did in his memories. Rael was intimately familiar with the place, had lived in it and cleaned it with his own hands, but technically he was setting eyes on it for the first time. Wasn't that a laugh?

Shuffling, he couldn't sense the children in the vicinity. There was nothing to stop him. A reminder that he _couldn't_ stop until things were done. It was time to collect Seira.

He wondered how to go about this. Should he flash his powers? Jump the fence? That may give the impression he was here to stir up trouble or that he was arrogant. He'd avoided a school confrontation exactly to not leave those impressions again.

In the end, he pressed the intercom.

Takeo's smooth baritone flowed from the speaker. "Who is this?"

"Rael Kertia," he replied politely. "I'm looking for Seira J. Loyard."

With a buzz, the front gate unlocked. A tad surprised at how quickly they'd given him entry, Rael slipped in, closed the gate behind him, then made for the front door.

It was Seira who greeted him.

"Rael."

"Seira." He greeted back.

They stared at each other in the doorway, awkward because the last time they met she'd been rejecting his proposal and he'd been watching her die.

"Don't be rude. Invite him in." Came Tao's voice.

Without a sound, the silver haired noble stepped aside, gesturing for Rael to enter. Absentmindedly pulling off his shoes and slipping on the provided slippers, he stepped into the familiar living space, fond nostalgia squeezing his heart.

Sir Raizel and Frankenstein weren't in the living room. Only the trio, who stood by the couches, and Regis, who stood stiffly near the entryway. He wondered for a moment why the other two would have retreated before his memory supplied that Sir Raizel had not yet been ready to return to society. They wouldn't risk being seen by him.

"Rael, why are you here?" Regis demanded. Ouch. He hadn't even gotten a greeting. The younger's face was pinched the way it always was when he felt wary and confused. Rael had his own moment of confusion because he'd forgotten just how small the other noble was before hitting maturity. Pasting on his most infuriating smile, Rael replied. "Didn't I already say? I'm looking for Seira."

"Aren't you on probation?"

"It ended several days ago." Rael relaxed his stance. It had tensed without his notice. ' _Calm. Casual.'_ "I've served my ten years."

He'd avoided looking at her directly, but in the name of preserving normalcy he turned to his princess now. "Seira, how are you? It's been ten years. It wasn't a long time, but it felt like an eternity."

He wanted to add more, but the words stuck in his throat. An eternity it had truly been. The sleep of death was forever and he had had to face forever a great many times the next few decades. No, that was no good. Keep it light. Don't let them know or else they'd want to _help_. ( _Lord forbid he let that happen_.)

 _Alone in the dark…Unable to see you...Felt like an eternity. Only the thought of seeing you again bore me through._

 _'_ _The thought of seeing all of you.'_

Seeing Seira was always a pleasure, but Rael couldn't deny it was nearly cathartic to see the others again. Even Tao. The trio stayed thankfully silent, reading the tension in the atmosphere.

"What is the matter? You can stop staring, Regis." It was far too amusing, the wide eyed way Regis stared at him, as if Rael had grown two heads or proposed to him. Some little part of him longed for the company of Regis forty years in the future. That man was someone he could rely on (no matter how infuriating and stubborn he could be). Looking at this runty child made him ever more aware of how separated he was from this time.

Things were becoming too awkward. He had to move the script along and fast. For old time's sake (and for his own sad amusement), Rael put forth his most charming smile. "Come with me?"

"No." Like always, Seira firmly rejected him.

"Ah, but Seira - "

"No," she repeated.

Regis sent him a part-pitying, part-scathing look (which was completely strange on a face that hadn't quite managed either emotion fully), but remained quiet. Neither seemed to have noticed a change in his approach to Seira. Understandable. They hadn't spoken nor seen each other in ten years. He kept anticipating someone would notice something extremely off with him.

Before his extra forty years, Rael had no doubt Seira would one day return his affections. After, his only wish was to see her happy. Even if it wasn't with him. Once she was dead in the future, he'd reevaluated his priorities and desires. After all that time, Seira was still important to him; important enough for him to put her needs above his, as he'd come to realize. Granted, he could have always tried to take what he wanted by force (not that the household or Lukedonia's clan leaders would let him). Perhaps it was ingrained by his relationship with Ignes, but he'd never thought to treat Seira in that manner. In a scary parallel of his interactions with Ignes, he'd demanded her attention, quite aggressively too, but at the very least he'd hardly thought to resort to violence.

"Are you sure?"

"I refuse to leave with you," Seira emphasized, just as stoic and unbending as ever. None of it surprised him, and Rael wondered if he'd have fallen for Seira if she had been any different. She was beautiful to be certain, but her unyielding nature was something he'd admired from the start, strong and firm and captivating.

Regis finally moved, walking over to Seira's side. His features were far more confident with the assurance that Seira wanted nothing to do with him. "Go on, leave. Seira has said no."

From the corner of his eye he could see the trio, still visibly on edge from his presence, but ready to step in if Rael continued to push. He'd tried, and though he didn't want to use it, it was time to.

"Unfortunately," Rael lamented, "I simply can't." He made a show of retrieving the Lord's summon from his pocket, and unfurled it with a flourish.

The thick parchment crinkled merrily in his fingers, unfurling to reveal gleaning Lukedonian script.

"Seira, the Lord summons you back to Lukedonia."

* * *

Extra:

Since he had time to kill, Rael stopped in at Lotte World before making it back to the house. He and Regis had been dragged to a similar theme park by Tao before everything had gone to complete hell.

The rides were similar. The atmosphere the same. Rael bought five different snacks (which he then handed off to various children), and spent a few minutes at one of the souvenir kiosks debating if bringing back a garish cat pillow for Regis would be hilarious enough to risk.


	3. ARC 1: 3 - Something Amiss

**Warnings:** Self-indulgent mess. Lots of waffling.

Shoutout to Smile, Laryna6, Delighted Laughter, and Mugiwara Otome for leaving reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this to their follow/favourite list.

I've decided to answer anonymous reviews in-chapter and logged in reviews through PM.

Smile: I've cut off canon at #395. Anything after will not be alluded to or referenced because I have not read anything past #395. Rael's not avoiding a certain future per say; merely avoiding certain unsavoury outcomes the best he can. Thanks for your interest! Events change a whole lot more later, so I hope you keep reading. :D And I've become so used to the Rael in Ten Years that I forget how different he is from canon.

Lukedonia arc in general is kicking my ass. I don't want to keep things the same, but it's very difficult because the canon arc itself progresses quite naturally. There'll be another chapter (maybe two) before we hit Arc 2. Some of you may have noticed, but I've already been editing previous chapters. If there are major edits, I'll make a note.

Reviews are greatly appreciated! I've never written anything as long as this, so the feedback is a wonderful boost!

"Talking"

' _Thoughts_ '

 _Sound effects/memories_

 _(memory/thought fragments)_

* * *

 **ARC 1: BACK AGAIN, LUKEDONIA**

 **3: Something Amiss**

"Rael, enter."

Lazark's voice echoed from within the Lord's chamber, muffled by the thick doors.

Sparing only a glance back at her, Rael met Seira's eyes for an instant before he turned to push open one of the doors. The journey back had been immediate. Neither he nor Seira were particularly inclined to keep the Lord waiting, and had left once he'd revealed the summons. She must have noticed something amiss with him because Rael hadn't spoken a word to her the entire way to Lukedonia. Even if Seira didn't reply, Rael was usually more than happy to talk at her. His subdued behaviour at the house must have thrown her too. Like the first time he'd parted ways with her at the Lord's castle, Seira had entered the chamber, and he'd returned home until he was summoned today.

It was difficult pretending to be a Rael he no longer was. Forty years weren't so long to a noble, but he'd had many opportunities to grow up during that time. No matter. He simply needed to make sure his abnormalities didn't tip anyone off to his plans.

 _Stump. Stump. Stump._

Rael walked in with Seira trailing just behind. The two treaded down the plush red carpet, footsteps dampened by the soft material. The Lord's chamber spread out before them, grand in size. In his periphery, Rael noted the conflicted expressions on the gathered Leaders. He was the first non-Leader in their memory to enter this chamber. That rule had largely been relaxed and forgotten in the future, starting after this moment actually. Frankenstein's group had messed up a lot of the politics and niceties that had taken hold of Lukedonia in the years following the current Lord's ascension.

"Rael Kertia at your service," he greeted upon reaching the foot of the throne, sinking to kneel on one knee. Seira echoed him to his right.

The Lord's cool eyes glanced to Seira before shifting to rest on Rael. She asked, "Was there any trouble during your mission?"

' _No. None at all. No trouble except for the stinking carcass I had to dispose of_.'

Aloud, Rael answered, "No, Lord. The mission went smoothly with little deviation. Thank you for this chance."

She hardly batted an eye at his reply, her aloof shell ever firm. "Did you catch wind of anything involving the human organization?"

"Perhaps." He hated to do this to Seira, but to push events in motion, he'd have to. He tried to inject some disgust into his tone, but wasn't sure how successful he was. Rael could be a good actor when required, but the Lord had a sharp perception for false covers. "There were three modified humans."

At this, everyone else perked up in interest.

"Seira and Regis were housing with them."

At that, even the gathered family leaders could not remain quiet. He practically heard them exchanging confused glances.

"Modified humans?" Ludis repeated under his breath.

Rozaria joined much the same with, "What were you doing with them?"

Karius shook his head, and Rael could see Lazark and Gejutel glancing in concern at Seira.

"Seira, is this true?" The Lord turned to the silver haired leader. When Seira remained tight lipped, she let loose a wave of power that shook the castle. " _Answer me, Seira J. Loyard!_ "

Rael held back his wince. An angry Lord was not usually pleasant to see. This put Seira in a difficult position as well as cast Sir Gejutel further into the proverbial flames. Like the first time around, it wasn't the most elegant of methods (nor even the safest), but it did get the job done. The resulting conflict would eventually lead everyone into meeting at the resting place of the previous Lord, which would at once clear the air for nearly all involved.

Gejutel cut in. "Lord, Seira did not know. She must have believed I'd already reported to you."

The Lord's reply shot back with little nicety. "You knew and gave a false report?"

Having already heard the resulting tension, Rael drifted off, continuing to partly focus on the conversation but mostly going over events in his mind quickly.

Sir Raizel _needed_ to come back to Lukedonia, even if he wasn't ready to return. The misunderstandings of the nobles here would absolutely be hindrances come later, and it sat bitterly with Rael if he let them believe someone as elegant as _the Noblesse_ had staged a betrayal against the Lord. The second Ragnarok needed to be found as well, for Sir Raizel's sake, and the Lord needed his guidance and reassurance to truly become the pillar of authority that she was to Lukedonia.

Rael had missed seeing the explanations in person, but had been informed of it by his brother after returning to Seoul from his trip. Had the whole debacle been necessary? The Merdas Central Order had been in chaos, and Sir Raizel had lost both a seal and a portion of his life training the Lord in the use of blood fields.

"Gejutel K. Landegre, are you betraying me?"

Even expecting them, the word's still sent a chill down Rael's back. Betraying the Lord was not a light thing.

Frankenstein had never forgiven Gejutel for using his Master's lifespan to fix Lukedonia's issues, but surprisingly Sir Raizel had seen the necessity - agreed with it even. The Noblesse had become far more loose lipped in the days after Frankenstein's death, and Rael remembered with stark clarity his words from that future.

 _("I do not begrudge Gejutel for that incident. Raskreia and Lukedonia needed the guidance." He said it matter of fact. Neither resigned nor firm. As if it were to be expected.)_

How things had become so polluted and misinformed in five hundred years, he couldn't say, but looking now at the hesitance of the Lord and the naivety of the clan leaders, he agreed with what Gejutel had orchestrated. In the end, Rael had his own plots. He could hardly begrudge an old man for his.

Perhaps there was a better method for it, but Rael was anxious to leave the island but loathe to do so before the relationship between Sir Raizel and Lukedonia was repaired. Doing it this way was simply the easiest way to bring the Noblesse out without (too much) conflict. It had worked once for Gejutel. He saw no reason to change it when there were bigger fish to fry as the saying went.

"...took advantage of the previous Lord's absence and the confusion to betray us. Gejutel, like them, also didn't enter Eternal Asleep."

The Lord's implications lay heavy, but Gejutel and Seira said nary a word.

* * *

They were all in the living room. Once Rael left, Rai and Frankenstein had eventually made an appearance again. The noblesse, ever elegant, took up his usual perch on the couch; Frankenstein already had a teapot, cups, and biscuits ready. Regis helped him lay everything out as Seira was gone.

"What's eating you?" M-21 inquired. After the Kertia noble left, Regis had taken up a seat, concentrated thoughtfulness pinching his face, and hadn't really moved since except to help Frankenstein. The modified human wasn't usually so forward, but even he had sensed something was amiss when both Seira and Regis stiffened at the paper Kertia had pulled out of his pocket.

After the D-5 incidence, they'd all slowly warmed up to each other, but the young noble seemed hesitant to speak up about this. He'd have let it go if Regis weren't acting so strangely. Regis didn't reply, and M-21 had to ask him again more pointedly.

' _Lukedonian politics?'_ The part werewolf wondered.

"Something doesn't seem right about Rael." Regis finally admitted after some more needling, eyebrows pinching further as he helped himself to a cup.

M-21 hadn't been expecting that. He thought the runt had been worried about Seira's sudden call back.

"Really?" Tao asked, echoing M-21's thoughts. The bowl haired man grabbed a tea biscuit from the table. "He seemed pretty okay. Polite enough."

Takeo gave a subtle nod in agreement, and M-21's silence spoke of his opinion.

The young noble scowled. "That's the strangeness. He didn't do anything particularly rude. Rael's infuriating and hot tempered."

The trio soaked in this tidbit, trying to reconcile it with the well-mannered noble that had shown up earlier. Rai sipped his tea, and with everything in order, Frankenstein finally took a seat beside Regis with his own cup.

Tao hummed around his snack and took a sip of tea. Takeo, who'd been rather silent, suggested, "Perhaps his probation period has changed him?"

Regis looked incredulous at that. "Maybe...but it was only ten years."

"Ten years can change a person." M-21 offered.

"But for a noble? Whose lifespan is many times that?"

The young Landegre easily recalled a blond known more for his hair trigger temper than for his polite tone. For pity's sake, he'd _thrown a fit_ large enough to warrant a ten year probation when Seira rejected his proposal. For all that Rael was twice his and Seira's age, the blond acted far more like a child. At least, he had until tonight.

Frankenstein, who had seemed uninterested until now, threw in a quick word. "You'd be surprised what ten years can do." There was something in his smile then, and something in his eyes, but Regis couldn't quite pin what.

Less willing to brush off the words of the house owner, Regis' face crumpled in consternation as he focused on the encounter. Rael had been unusually subdued. Creepily so. ' _How much can a noble change in ten years?'_ They were creatures notorious for their ability to remain steady and unchanging despite the shifting landscape. As if suddenly realizing something, Regis' eyes widened and he somehow sat up even straighter than he had before (which was quite a feat as, common to a noble, he sat rather straight anyway). "He...he didn't even say anything about you three!" His red eyes darted to look across the table at Tao, Takeo, and M-21.

The trio exchanged puzzled glances.

"Would he?" Tao asked for them.

"Before he would have." Restless now, Regis stood up and began pacing the living room, turning before the windows, and turning again before making it to the kitchen. The flurry of movement gave M-21 whiplash considering the shrimp had been a living statue until now. "You couldn't imagine half the drivel Rael used to spout."

 _Humans. Pathetic, dirty things. Why must we cater to them so much?_ They _betrayed us first._

"He used to talk about how weak humans were…" Regis explained. ' _And that's putting it mildly.'_ "I can only imagine the tripe he would have dished out about modified humans."

"Maybe he couldn't tell?" Tao asked, but his expression didn't quite believe that either.

"He definitely would have; Kertia's have a keen sense of smell. Even then, he'd have commented about us staying with three humans." Regis paced some more, looking increasingly frustrated before he gave a heavy sigh and voiced the other matter which had been weighing on his mind. "To use the Lord's seal...the situation must be dire. I don't understand why the Lord only called for Seira to return."

A beat in which everyone had their own thoughts about the situation. The Noblesse took a sip of tea. Then Rai's eyes opened and he spoke. "It may be time to make an appearance again."

The non sequitur threw everyone for a loop and they looked to Frankenstein for explanation.

Frankenstein's face darkened. He appeared conflicted, but neither the trio nor Regis had an inkling why. The four young ones glanced anxiously between the blond and brunet.

Finally, Frankenstein heaved a sigh. "I shall prepare it. Regis, if this bothers you so much, why not return to Lukedonia?"

"Huh?" A response echoed three times.

"But the Lord asked only for Seira to return." Regis squawked.

"And that request had been filled," Frankenstein countered evenly. "There is nothing preventing you from returning separately."

Regis fell silent. He seemed thunderstruck by the idea, having not thought of the situation that way.

"We'll escort you. It is our responsibility as adults in this house." Frankenstein smiled. "I'll be leaving you in charge, Tao."

* * *

The Kertias were visiting Gejutel again. Lazark, tall and black, ghosted down the stone halls, Rael tottering after.

The holding cells were dark and hardly ever used but mercifully dry. Sconces lit the way every few feet and Merdas Central Knights roamed everywhere. Unlike the distasteful movies Tao had dragged the household into watching before, Lukedonia's dungeons were pristine, if a tad drafty. None of the mold and mildew, crusting blood on the walls crap that always excited Tao so.

With Gejutel under suspicion and arrest, Lazark had picked up the brunt of his responsibilities. Partly because of the Kertia's role as 'assassins' and partly because of Lazark's naturally steady, level-headed personality, his older brother had become the de facto left hand of their Lord. She trusted him with a great many things which Rael knew from watching how often his brother was away on behalf of the Lord. Gejutel, until his imprisonment, was the unofficial right hand; both mentor and servant as he handed out advice.

"Back again?" Gejutel's timber rumbled amicably from behind the bars of his cell. He stood erect with all the dignity of a noble of his experience, but Rael could read a challenging glint in his eyes. ' _Definitely hereditary,'_ thought Rael, recalling the same expression on Regis' face.

Lazark had always been firm and fair, but he was kind as well. It was the only reason he had come to visit Gejutel again after the Lord's dismissal.

 _You are dead to me._

Her words echoed chillingly in Rael's mind. Lazark stared long and hard at Sir Gejutel, eyes willing the older noble to speak. He would not go against the word of the Lord, but Gejutel was dear to all the leaders of this generation. If only Gejutel would speak, the mess would perhaps be cleared up. Rael knew it would take more than that to clear the situation though. The Lord needed to see the Noblesse, and everyone would need to hear the previous Lord's message before this would be over.

True to a Landegre, Gejutel said not a word under his brother's intense gaze. After a few moments, he cracked a smile and said, "Lazark, it is a relief you are by the Lord's side."

' _Sentimental old man,'_ Rael couldn't help thinking.

Lazark did not react, though Rael knew him well enough to know his brother took the compliment to heavy heart: with acceptance but also with sadness that Gejutel would not budge.

Then Gejutel turned his eyes to Rael. "I have a question for you, Rael."

He perked up, wondering what Gejutel could possibly ask him this time.

"Did you meet a certain man?"

Ahh. So he was asking after _them_. He knew exactly what man Gejutel referred tk, but this timeline he hadn't run into them. ' _I'll have to watch what I say.'_

"I have no idea whom you speak of," Rael answered smoothly. "When I found Seira, there were only three modified humans and Regis."

The old man was contemplative before giving a hum. "Is that so?"

* * *

A pleasant breeze ghosted through the courtyard, its gentle caress accentuated by the warmth of the afternoon sun. Incredulous and suspicious glares followed Rael as he treaded down the path toward his target, a pleasant smile pasted upon his face.

"Good afternoon, Lady Claudia," the blond greeted. "Did you like the flowers?"

Said lady stared back, confusion evident in her body language. She returned his greeting with a curt "Rael Kertia" and a nod of her head, but ignored his question altogether.

"I hope you like chrysanthemums." He continued amicably, ignoring the pointed stares of Claudia's ladies in waiting. From behind his back, he produced an enormous gathering of the flowers as large as his head and which completely blocked his vision. Several white petals fluttered down from the bundle.

Rael had been visiting the Tradio compound for several days now. After a somewhat disastrous first visit, he'd decided to bring flowers his second time over. Yesterday's bouquet was a jaunty round thing: bright pink flowers which ran dark at their petal edges before fading to white in their centers, and the whole thing outlined by cattails he'd picked from nearby. He'd wrapped it with a white ribbon to make them more pleasant, but Claudia hardly looked at it, instead placing it gently into the hands of a waiting footman.

He'd wondered if she found the bouquet distasteful, but it might have been the flowers, so this time he'd gone out and picked chrysanthemums. There were other, prettier flowers blooming on Lukedonia, but Kertia house had these. He could have potentially taken some from the Loyard gardens, but he couldn't bring himself to. Only roses grew there and he would never give roses because they were Seira's flowers. How could he hand them to any other women?

He'd wrapped this bouquet with a pink ribbon, but like last time, Claudia simply passed it to one of her ladies in waiting before turning to lead him into the mansion behind.

They were in the tea room today, big bay windows letting in yellow sun which lit the space up cheerily. A small table was placed right in front of said windows with two cushioned chairs. Yesterday, they'd sat in the library, surrounded by shelves and shelves of volumes.

"I see you kept the lilies," Rael commented.

His first bouquet sat, tall and perky, in a simple glass vase by the entrance; a speck of exuberance in the mild room.

' _So she didn't throw them away.'_

After a quick survey (one entrance, large windows, open space with little room for hiding), he moved towards the table, taking a seat only after Claudia herself had sat down.

Sir Raizel and Frankenstein were likely to be on the way with Regis in tow by now. ' _And the trio.'_

A servant entered with a tray. As his teacup was set down in front of him, Rael had a sense of deja vu.

( _Tuesday._ _Ochre tea. The chipped sunflower cup._ )

The memory overlaid his vision, like a ghost, and he was thankful his hand remained steady as he picked up the cup. Why was he remembering this _now?_ He brought it to his lips and - ( _Tasteless. It's tasteless when the tea is meant only for one.) -_ chamomile. It left a pleasant taste on his tongue as it slipped down his throat.

Setting the cup back on the table, he was glad to no longer see the double vision.

"Thank you for having me. I apologize for the sudden notice."

Claudia hummed, her posture indicating she held no irritation with him.

"I like this room better than the library. It's a great deal brighter."

She nodded, long hair shifting with the motion.

Around him Lady Claudia hardly spoke a word. Wariness? A defense mechanism? He could only hypothesize. In the future, after Ragus' death, the Lord had grudgingly sentenced Claudia to Eternal Sleep. Ragus' crimes had run deep, and the Tradio family had willingly gone along with them. In retribution, Claudia had offered her life in exchange for the remainder of her clan's against their protests. It'd been rather obvious that she was contrite and not completely in line with her father's plans, but the Lord, as a symbol of authority, needed to dole out punishment of her own. The Noblesse had already given his. Claudia had accepted her sentence straight backed and unflinching. Once she was put to Eternal Sleep, Tradio House had essentially dissolved, absorbing itself into the Landegre household over time.

He'd hardly interacted with her, barely even knew her, but she was connected to Ragus. Now that he was back here, he might as well try an avenue that had escaped attention last time.

"Have you tried any East Asian teas? There are some surprising flavours there…"

* * *

Word spread fast on Lukedonia. The day after, on his way to the Lord's castle, Rael already heard whispers of intruders in the Forbidden Lands and how the three humans Merdas Central had captured were on the loose. They couldn't have been on Lukedonia for more than a few hours.

Today had been good. He'd visited the Tradio mansion yet again, bringing a mixed bouquet of hyacinths and gladioli. Claudia had given it to another foot man and brought him to their inner gardens for tea. ' _I wonder where she's placed the other flowers?'_ She still refused to answer him properly, but Rael was experienced in the art of talking at women and took it in stride. Time passed quickly, until he'd bid Claudia farewell early evening after sensing things would happen soon. The blond then headed back to his mansion to set up a few things, and now he was on his way to the holding cells.

By this time, the sun was already gone, and it was twilight. The sky was a mix of yellow, green, turquoise...soon it would be dusk. Stars dotted the edges of his vision. Rael breathed, the crisp air filling him as he settled on a plan of action.

' _Perhaps early interception would be better? I might be able to keep Sir Karius and brother from a confrontation with the others.'_

He continued on his path, gait steady and quick.

* * *

The dungeons were still dark and drafty. Seira was housed in a separate area from Sir Gejutel so they wouldn't 'conspire together'. Not that anyone really believed that.

Rael hadn't seen her since the day in the Lord's chamber.

Neither spoke a word, crimson gaze boring into crimson gaze. With her long silver hair, she cut a stark contrast to the dark cell, almost glowing. She was beautiful, but the shadows of the bars drew long lines across her face in an ugly way. His stomach twisted unpleasantly.

The silence stretched until he finally blurted, "Sir Gejutel has been sentenced to Eternal Sleep. Regis broke into the Forbidden Land and is in trouble."

He watched Seira stiffen behind the bars, eyes dilating and shoulders pinching in tight. She took a breath, but otherwise made no sound.

Technically neither incident had been reported quite yet. This was an allowable slip though because who would even bother asking Seira _when exactly_ she'd heard the information? Besides, it was a necessary evil for Rael wouldn't have time after this to see her again.

With great regret, he turned and left Seira in her cell. The whole exchange was uncharacteristic of him (he hadn't even greeted her), but he didn't know what to say otherwise. He didn't know what to say to any of the dead in his memory.

* * *

Extra:

"Rael…"

Lazark's tone was noticeably alarmed (as was the look on Sir Gejutel's face). Perhaps they hadn't expected his company, but Rael was inclined to believe the blood dripping from his lips was the real cause of shock.

"Sorry to intrude, brother," he spluttered. ' _And sorry for spraying blood in the holding cells.'_

 _"_ Rael, have you noticed…?" Sir Gejutel trailed off weakly.

Wondering if he'd spent too much time with Frankenstein and Tao in the future, Rael feigned ignorance, beaming red lips and red teeth at the two. "Noticed what?"

He coughed again, leaving a ball of congealed blood on the floor.

"You're bleeding," Lazark replied.

"Oh! Yes."

Some stilted silence before Lazark asked him to elaborate.

' _No wonder the homeowner's such an ass in battle. This is fun even off the field!'_

"Lady Claudia Tradio surprised me."

Rael knew most nobles no longer visited the Tradios (not after Ragus' defection, and nobles weren't known to be social), but he hadn't expected her to poison him in suspicion though. ' _Perhaps I should have brought flowers?'_

Lost in his speculations, Rael completely missed the awkward quiet that had descended.


End file.
